No. 12 
Budget increases obstetric and gynaecology services
ACT Minister for Health, Katy Gallagher, said today that the ACT Government had allocated $8.6 million over four years in the 2010-11 Budget to enhance public obstetric and gynaecology services for women in the ACT.

“This additional funding will help us meet increasing service demand for public obstetric and gynaecology services that has been growing across both our public hospitals,” Ms Gallagher said.

“These services are under considerable pressure due to increased demand for care, and this new funding will ensure we have sufficient medical and nursing resources to manage this demand,” she said.

“Over the past four years demand for maternity services at Canberra Hospital has increased considerably, with a 26 per cent increase in births.

“The increase in demand has continued in 2009-10, with Canberra Hospital reporting 12 percent growth in birth activity over the first eight months of this financial year compared to the same period last year.

“This additional funding will allow ACT Health to expand specialist obstetric and gynaecology services at Canberra Hospital, provide additional registrar positions and employ more midwives to manage the increasing demand,” Ms Gallagher said.

“This increase in demand is evidence of the community’s confidence in our public obstetric services.”

4 May 2010
Media Contact: 	Kathryn Roberts  	6205 0242(w)   0402 399 907(m)
	kathryn.roberts@act.gov.au